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Moscow says scope of Trump's energy truce unclear after launching new attack on Ukraine

• 2 min read
Moscow says scope of Trump's energy truce unclear after launching new attack on Ukraine
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov speaks on a mobile phone during a Russian-Kazakh forum in Omsk, Russia, on July 25, 2026. (Contributor / Getty Images)

The Kremlin said on Oct. 14 that the extent of U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine was not specified, as Russian attacks against Ukraine's power grid continue.

"What is the outline of the energy ceasefire, and what does it mean? Has it been specified?" Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told journalists, adding that "work in this direction continues."

The comments come hours after Russia launched another deadly aerial attack targeting Ukrainian cities and power plants, in what President Volodymyr Zelensky called a show of disregard for the Trump-backed truce.

The U.S. president unilaterally announced an energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine on Oct. 11 without outlining its scope, taking the Ukrainian leadership by surprise.

An undisclosed White House official told Axios that Trump's announcement concerned only oil refineries and that a broader ceasefire covering the energy grid could come next, though no party has publicly confirmed this framework.

Such a deal would heavily favor Russia, as it operates a vast network of oil refineries, while Ukraine has only one refinery and is concerned mainly about its power grid, heavily battered by Russian missiles and drones.

Zelensky has said Ukraine is ready to adhere to a full, comprehensive energy truce — provided Russia does the same — and noted that Ukrainian forces have not attacked Russian refineries since Trump's announcement.

But Russian strikes against the Ukrainian power grid have continued unabated, and the Kremlin has declined to make any commitments to the truce.

In spite of this, Trump has declined to blame Moscow for breaking the truce while ramping up pressure on Ukraine, with his administration threatening to cut off intelligence and military aid.

Ukraine confirmed on Oct. 14 that its access to Starlink terminals, operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, has been severely restricted, hampering combat operations.

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Martin Fornusek

Assistant Editor

Martin Fornusek is an assistant editor at the Kyiv Independent. Until recently, Martin held the role of foreign affairs reporter specializing in international and regional politics, history, and disinformation. Based in Lviv, Martin often reports on international politics, focusing on developments related to Ukraine and Russia. His career in journalism began in 2021 after graduating from Masaryk University in Brno, Czechia, earning a Master's degree in Conflict and Democracy Studies. Martin has been invited to speak on Times Radio, France 24, Czech Television, and Radio Free Europe. He speaks English, Czech, and Ukrainian.

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